This online exhibit contains materials from an exhibit on display at the University of Wyoming's Centennial Complex restaurant from September 1997 to April 1998. The original exhibit comprises more than fifty images from renowned war correspondent Richard Tregaskis plus photographs from personal collections of war veterans Larry Munn and Craig Tiernan. The exhibit is being organized by University of Wyoming graduate student Jennifer Tiernan, who is writing her master's thesis on the snapshots of Vietnam veterans.

Map of Southeast Asia

Coverage of the Vietnam War was unique because it was the first war in United States history to be documented to such a great degree and with such a lack of censorship. The war was virtually broadcast into the living rooms of Americans every night through the evening news, while popular magazines such as Life and Look filled pages with photographs and text detailing events occurring thousands of miles away in Vietnam. The visual impact of Vietnam War coverage on how the American public saw the war is undeniable, and the combat photographer, professional and amateur, became an important link in relaying images and information concerning America’s involvement in Vietnam to the American public.

While the majority of images in this exhibit are taken from the American Heritage Center’s collection of renowned wartime correspondent Richard Tregaskis, the photographs of his wife, Moana, and soldier Craig Tiernan, are also included. The photographs demonstrate the differences in photo documentation between a professional photojournalist and a soldier serving in the armed forces during wartime.

Richard Tregaskis

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